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Singler passing on NBA to stay in Spain

Kyle Singler's new Pistons' jersey will hang in the locker room until the 2012-13 season

Kyle Singler(notes), the 33rd overall pick in the June NBA draft, has reached agreement with Real Madrid and won’t play for the Detroit Pistons this season, agent Greg Lawrence of Wasserman Media Group told Yahoo! Sports.

Singler, a forward out of Duke, will sign a contract for the remainder of the season in the Spanish ACB League, replacing the Dallas MavericksRudy Fernandez(notes) on the Real Madrid roster.

After an outstanding showing with Alicante in the same league – where he averaged a team-leading 15 points on 47 percent shooting – Singler decided to take the Real Madrid offer on Tuesday. A combination of his comfort level in Spain and a salary higher than that of most second-round draft picks convinced him to finish the season there.

"Real Madrid presented a really attractive package that Kyle couldn’t pass up," Lawrence said. "While playing in Alicante, Kyle fell in love with Spain, but he’s also looking forward to career in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons."

[ Related: Top 15 NBA free agents: Who tops the list? ]

The Pistons have been high on Singler, even sending front-office staff to scout him in Spain this season. Nevertheless, NBA rules prohibited general manager Joe Dumars and coach Lawrence Frank from talking to Singler or his agents. They can't counter any offer until the NBA lifts restrictions on Dec. 9. Detroit has been willing to commit to playing younger players in its rebuilding drive, and Singler might have had a chance to crack the rotation. Detroit retains Singler's rights for the 2012-13 season when he is expected to come to the NBA.

Tubasket.com first reported the talks between Singler and Real Madrid.

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